Ashen
by InvaderProfessorMembrane
Summary: The Almighty Tallest have figured out what Earth has that Irk doesn't– gold. The Tallest abort Zim's mission, stranding him on Earth forever. As war breaks out between Earth and Irk, Professor Membrane assumes leadership of Earth, with Zim and Dib working alongside him. Earth is falling apart, and what is left of it lies in their hands.
1. Chapter 1

The sky was dark and grey, and impending rain was soon to come. Zim paced back and forth nervously. Looks like he was stuck, to his dismay, in his base until it subsided. Oh, how he _hated_ rain. There was no telling when it would stop. Even though these stupid humans had what they called a "weather man" who's purpose was to predict when the rain would stop falling, it still took him by surprise. Stupid humans. They could predict things about planets light years away from them, but yet they couldn't tell when exactly rain would happen or not. It was a _prediction_. The Tallest didn't like that word; they said that, in order to maintain a strong empire, they'd have to be driven by facts alone.

GIR hummed a tune and mixed random items in a bowl. He saw Zim pacing.

"MASTER!" He yelled, hopping off of the stool he was sitting on. "Why you walkin'? I'm gonna walk with you!"

GIR giggled as he walked alongside Zim.

"GIR!" Zim shouted angrily. "My ingenious self cannot hear my BRILLIANT mind think because of your unconditional laughter! _Go now_."

GIR walked away, still giggling and smiling from ear-to-ear. He propped himself on the stool once more and proceeded to mix ingredients– Octopus tentacles, dirt, eggs, sugar, salt, dried grass, and motor oil– in a large bowl.

"I'm making you a cake, Master!" he yelled.

"Eh. Yes, yes..." Zim said, not paying attention to anything.

Until the screen in the living room lit up with the words "Incoming Transmission: The Tallest" on it.

Zim let out a squeal of joy. The Tallest never called him! He straightened his uniform before answering the call.

"My Tallest!" Zim said boldly, saluting the two figures on the screen. "What drove you into calling the amazing ZIM?"

"Eh," said Red. "We have something to tell you, Zim... it's about Earth."

"What about this filthy ball of dirt?" Zim answered.

"We have found on Earth some key elements that could be used to construct weapons and strengthen our armor. Not to mention..." Red pulled out a small coin the size of a penny made out of pure gold.

"This is the only piece of gold that we Irkens have found on Irk. This, however..." Red held up a picture of a brick of gold. "_This_ is what the humans have on _their_ planet."

Zim's mouth opened. He'd never seen a _whole_ _pound_ of gold. He'd never even seen gold in real life. The only gold Irkens had on their planet was pill-sized; the small coin they'd made about a century back. And although Zim didn't really understand why, based on how the Tallest have talked about it, it must be quite valuable.

"Where did you find that picture, my Tallest?" Zim said, still recovering from the shock.

"On a human data base called the 'internet'. They put EVERYTHING on there. From what they ate for breakfast in the morning to government information."

"And can we obtain this gold, my Tallest?" Zim asked eagerly.

"Yes, Zim! Yes we can!" Red said. Zim thought Red sounded insane. He resisted the urge to recoil.

"Great! How will we do this?"

"Take over the Earth, obviously!" Red threw his arms in the air.

"Oh, don't you worry, my Tallest. I'm on it! I've already gathered information about—"

"Not you, stupid!" Purple yelled. Zim was taken aback.

_Stupid?_

"W-What?"

"Geez, after ALL THIS TIME one would have thought you had figured it out by now!" Red yelled.

"I'm afraid I don't understa—"

"We sent you on a _FAKE_ mission. We were trying to get rid of you because you are a horrible Invader! You thought you were actually an Elite?"

"Yes..."

"WELL YOU AREN'T! You completely destroyed any hope for Impending Doom I... why on Irk would we let you participate in Impending Doom II?" Red was fuming.

"I just thought..."

"Thought what?" said Purple. "That blowing up other Elites was a good idea? How oblivious are you?"

"I didn't know I was still on Irk!"

"PEOPLE _DIED_ BECAUSE OF YOU, ZIM," Red growled. "And it is my duty as a Tallest to make sure that never happens again!"

All Zim could do was put his head down in shame.

Red leaned into the screen camera with malice in his eyes.

"We're going to kill off every pitiful, worthless human on planet Earth," Red said slowly. "And when they die," he continued.

"You die with them."

Zim froze. He couldn't move. Or breathe, either.

"Almighty Tallest, signing off."

The screen went to static.

Zim stood in front of the screen for three hours after that. Just staring at the screen, from which just moments ago he was told such shocking news. _Why? Why him?_

Someone knocked on the door, snapping Zim out of his trance.

"—Through with you," a voice called from outside. "—No longer be a threat to mankind, I will—"

Ugh.

Dib-human.

Zim threw open the door. _What could that pitiful, hideous human want?_

"What?" Zim snapped.

"I will stop your evildoing, ZIM!" Dib shouted, pulling a water gun out from behind his back.

"Go away," Zim said coldly. "I don't need _YOU_ around to pester me." He snatched the water gun out of Dib's hands and sprayed him in between the eyes.

"AH!" Dib shouted, swatting at the spray of water. Before Dib had the chance to say anything else, Zim threw the water gun at Dib's face. It him him in the nose. Zim slammed the door shut.

"Maybe you've won this time, Zim! But I'll be—"

Zim threw open the door once more and stomped outside.

"If you ever come back onto my lawn again, you pitiful slug," Zim said slowly. "So help me I will kill you on the spot. No more games, human. I am through with you. I will give you exactly ten seconds to get off my lawn." Zim pulled out a ray gun.

"Ten... nine... eight... seven..."

Dib took the ground running. What was with Zim? He seemed so bitter today. He always was, but today... today was scary.

"Gaz, what do you think is the matter with Zim?" Dib asked, pacing back and forth in front of the couch Gaz was playing her GameSlave on.

"I don't care, idiot," she said.

"He threatened to kill me," Dib said thoughtfully.

"About time someone did."

"I just need to—"

The doorbell rang, cutting Dib off.

Dib swung open the door. He was surprised when he saw who it was.

"ZIM?" He asked. "Look, I—"

"Be quiet," Zim snapped. Then, he pinched his forehead with his hands.

"I'm sorry, Dib-human. I just... I need to talk to you."

"I'm not falling for any of your tricks, Zim!"

"DIB! My race has turned upon me. They're planning to kill you all. And on top of that, they're planning to kill me as well."

Dib raised his eyebrow.

"Give me one good reason to believe you."

"Because I'm the only one who you can believe! All the others are going to kill you! You're entire race! and believe me, they can." Zim sighed. "Look, I'm a defect, alright? I have an... well, I guess you could say I have an Irken mental disorder, and because of that, they all hate me."

Dib raised his eyebrow. "Ah," he said. "So you can be mentally handicapped."

"Well, no... not really. It's more like a glitch in my PAK. I want to switch sides. From my side, to yours."

Dib played with this thought in his head. What would it mean for the human race?

"Fine, Zim. But. Only on one condition."

"Yes?"

"Hand me a ray gun."

Zim was puzzled.

"Why?"

"Because I am not armed, and you are. You solve the rest."

Zim stared back at him with uncertainty.

"Look," Dib said. "I swear over my dead body that I won't be the one to fire the first shot. This is only for self-defense. Plus," Dib said smirking. "If you hand over one of your ray guns, I'll have more of a reason to trust you."

Zim heaved a heavy sigh.

"Fine," he said, handing a ray gun over to Dib.

"Show me that it works," Dib said, dragging Zim outside.

"Do I have to?"

"Yes. Shoot the ray gun up into the air."

Zim shot up a bright, staight lazer into the air.

"Good," Dib said, taking the ray gun from Zim. "Now I am prepared."

"The Elites, on average, usually composes a plan within a period of three days. This plan is then shared on day four with the Armada. The Armada then prepares for battle for about a week, since they are trained prior because of Irken training. Really the 'training' they undergo is working out who flies where and who drops what bomb. They practice on simulation planets." Zim's antenna twitched, making his wig shift slightly. "So... the Armada should start attacking this planet in less than a month," Zim said, his voice cracking.

Dib knew why Zim was so nervous. If this planet was destroyed, he'd be destroyed along with it. And... well, his entire species rejected him for being different. That had to hurt.

"That isn't much time to prepare," Dib said quietly.

"No, not really." Zim shifted.

After a while, Dib said "Well. It's getting late. And there's school tomorrow."

"Most likely, I am not going."

Dib nodded. "Maybe it would be best if you stayed home tomorrow. You could begin working on a plan. In the meantime, I'll do my best to get as many people as I can to help us out. Which will be hard, considering the fact that my sanity reputation isn't the best..." Dib coughed.

"Do your best, Dib."

Dib nodded.

"Get on to bed now human, and I shall see you when the sun rises." Zim held out his hand.

Dib didn't shake it. "Yeah, I'll do that." was simply his reply. He shut the door.

As Zim was walking back to his house, he thought of the situation. He thought of the Tallest, and his home planet; the planet which he was forbidden now to return to. The Tallest were cruel leaders. He _hated_ them. He wouldn't let them destroy his new home planet. Never.

When he returned to his base, he saw that there was a large pile of ashes on the floor. His Voot Cruiser. The Tallest had programed each ship to self-destruct if they left a soldier to die on a planet.

Zim bent down and picked up a handful of the ashes. They were so soft, like flour.

"You may have destroyed my mission," Zim said silently.

"But you'll never destroy my world."


	2. Chapter 2

Dib was giddy all day at school. He couldn't focus on any of his work, for the thoughts in his head ran wildly and refused to let him study. Oh well. At least it was Friday.

Wait a minute.

_Today is Friday._

He groaned. He faintly recalled his father saying something about going out to eat on Friday, since he had invented a machine that allowed him to be at six places at once. Her rubbed his fingers through his hair. He had to find SOME WAY to convince his father to let him stay home!

When Dib arrived home, he mixed flour, water, corn, carrots, and a few apple pieces in a cup. He had conducted this plan: he'd put white powder on his face, making him look pale. then, he'd sit by the window and watch for his father's car. When he saw the car pull into the driveway, he'd sit on the couch and put the mixture in his mouth (quickly hiding the cup under the couch, of course). When his father walked into the house, he'd lean over and spit the mixture onto the carpet, making him believe he had vomited. Seeing how sick his son was, he would cancel family night. While he was "sleeping" (that's what he'd tell his father that he was going to do), he'd place a decoy in his bed, sneak out the window and then run to Zim's house.

He crawled up onto the windowsill.

"What are you doing, idiot?" Gaz asked.

Dib panicked. He didn't plan on what to do if his sister caught him.

"Oh, I... I'm just waiting for dad to come home," he said, keeping his face turned away from her. He didn't need to be questioned by his sister on why his face was white.

"Look at me when you talk, idiot," Gaz snapped. Dib turned around.

"Why is your face so white?" Gaz asked apathetically.

Dib decided that the best thing to do was lie to her as well.

"I'm sick," Dib lied.

"Ew. Well don't give it to me."

To Dib's relief, Gaz went upstairs. Just in time, too, because his dad's car pulled into the garage.

Dib quickly put as much of the mixture he could into his mouth and hid the cup in the trashcan under the rest of the trash. He chewed it up a little, just to make it more convincing.

Gosh, did it taste horrible

_For the sake of mankind,_ Dib thought. _For the sake of mankind._

Professor Membrane walked in.

"Hello, Son, I am home from—"

Dib bent over and spat the mixture out, making fake retching sounds as he did to further convince his father. Professor Membrane stepped back a little.

"My goodness, Son! Are you alright?" he asked.

"Uh huh. I'm just a little sick."

"I'll say. I want you to walk into the bathroom and rinse your mouth out. Then head straight to bed, and I'll be in your room with water."

Dib did as he was told. _His plan was working!_

He did, however, feel a _little_ guilty by the way he fooled his father.

Dib walked into his bedroom and closed the door. He wiped the powder off of his face and laid down in bed. His father entered the room.

"Sorry that we couldn't have family night tonight," Dib said.

"That's alright, Son. You're ill."

Professor Membrane handed Dib the water. Dib drank it up.

"I think I just need to sleep for a while," Dib said.

"Alright, Son. If you need anything, holler."

Dib listened to Professor Membrane's heavy boots. When he made sure his dad was far enough away, he opened the window and used his hair to zip line down to the floor. Once on the ground, he ran to Zim's house.

The sun was beginning to set. His poor father... guilt pinched him in the stomach. But what needed to be done had to be done.

Dib rang the doorbell to Zim's house. As expected, Zim carefully opened the door.

"Dib," he hissed. "Come inside."

Dib stepped inside carefully. He ran his hands over the concealed ray gun in his pocket. Just in case.

"I've formulated a small plan," Zim said. "We will set up safe houses throughout the city. This is where people will stay." He dramatically slapped a pointer onto red spots on a map of the city he had set up.

Dib observed it carefully.

"What about other people OUTSIDE of the city? How are they going to remain safe?"

Zim sighed.

"That," he said, "is what I have not yet figured out."

Dib paused.

"Wait," he said. "I know that my dad has set up global safe houses. He's set up one in every city." Dib paused.

"Well, in almost every city. At least all the cities in North America."

Zim nodded.

"Alright."

"Now I just have to convince my dad to let me use them!" Dib said, smiling. Then, his smile father would never believe him. Not in a million years. Why would he believe an insane child

"Great!" Zim said. "Do you think you could convince your father to get everyone in them along with supplies a week prior to the attack?"

Dib shuddered at the word "attack". Then, he sighed.

"I'll do my best, Zim. My dad is a stubborn guy."

* * *

Dib walked home in the darkness. He's been out longer than he'd planned– It was already 11:30. It began to rain gently._ Wow_, Dib thought. _This is the most peaceful moment I've ever experienced in my life._

He noticed when he walked up to his house that the lights were still on. He also heard muffled noises coming from it.

Cautiously, he unlocked the door and entered the house.

Professor Membrane and Gaz stared at him in shock. There was also at least three police men standing in the room.

"Son?!" Professor Membrane asked, clearly shocked.

Uh oh. He was gonna get it.

"Yes, Dad?" Dib said coolly.

"You were gone for FOUR HOURS! Where were you?!"

"Uh..." Dib said.

"Well?"

"Dad," Dib said, sighing. "In less than a month, Earth will be destroyed by an alien race. I had to fake being sick and help Zim out. We have t form a plan–"

"ENOUGH!" Professor Membrane boomed. He leaned up close to Dib.

"You are to go to your bedroom right now! I will talk with you shortly."

Dib didn't look back as he sulked up the stairs.

**Hey guys! Sorry I haven't updated in a while. This is, sadly, the last day of winter break for me. :'( One review= one prayer. (XD)**

**Seriously, though. You guys are my writing fuel! I wish I could just pick you all up and hug you :D**

**Okay, that would be kind of weird. But hey, guess what?! In just two months, The Sands of Time has gained 1,000 more reads! Thank you! I hope you guys like this story as much as you liked The Sands of Time.**

**Fun fact: The original name of this story was "Radium". So that's why I still save my documents for this story as "Rad Ch. (number of chapter)."**


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